Elevator



(No Model.) I I T. W. HEERMANS.

ELEVATOR.

N0. 551,545. Patented Dec. 17, 1895.

\N MWM Nrrnn STATES A'IENT Fries.

TI-IADDEUS IV. IIEERMANS, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,545, dated December17, 1895.

Application filed July 8, 1895. flerial No 555,287. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THADDEUS IV. HEER- HANS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented new and useful Iniprovements in Elevators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in elevators.

The invention consists substantially in the construction set forth inthe subjoined specification, illustrated in the drawings, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Like letters refer to similar parts in the several figures in thedrawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of an elevatorcar, theliftingeablc, and the motor 1nechanism for causing such car to ascendand descend. Fi g. 2 is a front view of a portion of the rackconstituting part of the motor. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of thesame. Fig.

i is a cross-section of the same.

In the drawings,A designates the car or cage of an elevator, which maybe made to carry passengers or freight and be of suitable constructionto adapt it to eitherof these kinds of loads. Inasmuch as theconstruction of such cage is well known to those skilled in the art, nodetailed description is required and the drawings illustrate a mereoutline of the cage. This cage is suspended by a cable B, which cablepasses over suitable guideshcaves C and under a motor-sheave l) and thenup to the framework of the building above the elevator-well, where it issuitably secured, as shown. Of course, the elevatorcage is guided bysuitable ways formed in the elevator-well for that purpose after theusual manner.

The sheave D is secured to the top of a rack E, which may be of anydesired length, but is preferably of a length equal to half the travelof the cage, and is shown in the drawings as arranged relatively to thecable and sheaves for that length. In high buildings it will bedifficultand probably impossible to cast the rack in one piece of thedesired length, and, therefore, it maybe made of a number of sections,which sections may be joined together by securing them all to twoupright bars M, as is best shown in Figs. 2, 8, and a of the drawings.Each of these bars M may be continuous and of a desired length, and maybe secured to the sections of rack by detachable bolts, as is wellSllOWll in Fig. of the drawings, or in any other suitable manner. Thelower end of the rack may have attached thereto a weight F for thepurpose of acting as a counterbalance for the car or cage. This rackmust be properly guided, which can be readily eiiiected by any competentmechanic, and in the drawings there are shown the guides II II for thepurpose.

The rack is design ed to be positively driven in each direction by aspiral pinion, such as K. The teeth of this pinion are arranged uponashaft, which is rotated by any suitable power, and, in the presentinstance, I have illustrated an electric motor I for this purpose, whichmotormay be secured and mounted upon the bracket L, resting upon theI-beams G G. The bracket also has bearings for the axle, and should havethese bearings so arranged that the axle with its spiral pinion isplaced at such an angle with relation to the rack as is determined bythe angle of the thread on the pinion.

By placing the armature of the electric motor upon the same shaft withthe spiral pinion compactness and economy in power, as well as space,are secured.

Many modifications and variations may be made in the details of theabove construction without departing from the principle thereof.

I am aware that it is not new to operate elevators by means of aworm-wheel and screw, but in such case the movement is too slow to bepractical in modern ofiice-buildin gs, where a long travel must be madein quick time, and if the thread of the screw is made quite coarse withaviewof somewhat increasing the speed, great friction results in theoperation, both of which difliculties are avoided by the presentcombination of a spiral pinion and rack, arranged as shown anddescribed.

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an elevator, the combination with a cage, of a rack connected tosuch cage and carrying the counterbalancing weight at one end, and aspiral pinion for engaging and operating such rack, and mechanism forrotating such pinion; substantially as and for the pur pose set forth.

2. In an elevator, the combination. With a cage, of a rack having asheave at one end, a hoisting cable connected to the cage and at the topof the elevator Well, and having a loop passing under and supporting thesheave on the rack, a spiral pinion meshing With such rack,and incchanism for rotating such pinion; substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

In an elevator, the combination with a cage, a single rack, andconnections between the cage and rack, of a spiral pinion for engagingand. operating such rack, arranged on a shaft placed at a suitable angleto such rack, and mechanism for rotating such shaft and pinion;substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

I. In an elevator, the combination. with a cage, of a rack, a hoistingcable connected to TIIADDEUS \V. IIEERMANS.

Attest:

FRANK T. BROWN, M. I. OAVANAGH.

